


The Man Out Of Time

by Ellionne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: (love how this is a tag), Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Man Out of Time, Natasha Romanov Knows All, Pre-Relationship, Rare Pairings, Sane Tom Riddle, Snake!Loki, Steve Rogers is a cinnamon roll, Steve Rogers-centric, Vague setting, second chapter is cracky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29384550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellionne/pseuds/Ellionne
Summary: With all the alien attacks, gods running in their midset, the internet and whatnot - who was Steve to claim something as impossible? Even if it was another man out of time.
Relationships: Loki (Marvel) & Tom Riddle, Steve Rogers/Tom Riddle
Comments: 9
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Do NOT repost, recreate or translate.**
> 
> Ok, so a friend of mine contemplated starting an HP/MCU crossover fic and because I’m a selfish and greedy little gremlin I suggested Peter Parker/Harry Potter but they blindsided me with “No, they’re too similar. Peter/Tom would be a much better fit.” and- excuse me? How dare you to make sense and open my eyes to a possible ship I’ve never ever thought of before? 
> 
> Anyways. This is no Peter/Tom.  
> This is Steve/Tom because my sleep-deprived mind came up with it as I tried to catch a nap but remembered our conversation. 
> 
> Don’t expect too much, I couldn’t focus on properly writing for weeks now so yeah.  
> (Also, on a side note, I wasn't around in the MCU fandom for some time now so my knowledge is more than rusty. Please ignore me bullshitting my way through the fic)
> 
> Thanks to my beta [Sage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeuroWriter14/pseuds/NeuroWriter14) <3

Steve wondered idly if there would ever come a time where he wouldn’t compare any Brit he met to Peggy. 

The man S.H.I.E.L.D. had gotten a hold on earlier this week after he had seemingly appeared from thin air - drenched in Dark Energy - was currently busy staring Fury down, looking entirely unimpressed by the usual plays at intimidation the Director was so fond of. 

It was something Steve could respect. Just as he had respected Peggy for being an impossible steadfast force of nature, undeterred by everything the testosterone-heavy sphere of World War Two had thrown her way. 

The man’s dark eyes narrowed a smidge further. He focused intently on Fury‘s single eye but Steve wasn’t fooled. He might have started out his military career as a dancing monkey but in the end, he _had_ been a real soldier. And since waking up he had spent enough time with Natasha and Clint to pick up some skill or another. 

The man might look harmless in comparison to the present agents, with his arrogant, almost regal posture and in his strangely familiar clothes, but he was without a doubt anything but - every instinct screamed at Steve that he was dangerous. That he was _aware_ of everything and everyone around him in a way not even their spies were. Steve could taste it in the air, even though he couldn’t name it. 

It didn’t matter. Steve had been a sick kid on the streets of Brooklyn, merely one or two steps above a street rat. His instincts were the only thing that had pulled him through this time alive. And maybe Bucky. Well, mostly Bucky. But it had been his instincts that told him when Bucky was around so he could pull some shit and antagonise a man thrice his size and get away still breathing.  
He trusted his instincts. Period. 

So when the man continued to keep his silence through Fury’s interrogation despite the increasing amount of barley hidden threats, Steve couldn’t keep his mouth shut as his brain finally made the connection how the man’s clothes seemed so familiar.

It wasn’t a question of _where_ the man had been coming from but-

„ _When_ are you coming from?“ 

The suddenly predatory gaze flicking over and positively _burning_ into Steve’s eyes told everyone in the room that Steve - strong, with strategic smarts but otherwise mostly useless for S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s day to day business - had managed what none of them - spies and interrogation experts alike - had been able to. He had drawn some information out of the man. As ridiculous as the insinuating might seem. 

But hey, with all the alien attacks, gods running in their midset, the _internet_ and whatnot - who was Steve to claim something as impossible? 

  
  
  
  


As it turned out, Steve had been right. 

The man - Tom - had been lost early in 1944, thought them initially to be Nazis and _didn’t know of Captain America._

Which made him kind of Steve’s favourite new-met person of this century and was the main reason why Steve had talked Fury into putting Tom into his care, rather than storing him somewhere deep down in S.H.I.E.L.D.s holding cells while Fury tried to get a hold on Thor to gather if his damned brother had been up to something recently. 

Steve did his best to not think about the smirk Natasha had sported as she witnessed that particular discussion.

Getting Tom to open up was like pulling teeth but all temper and authority issues aside, Steve had always been a patient man with frightened people. And while he was sure Tom would skin him alive with a rusty spoon if he would be privy to Steve’s thoughts, he _knew_ Tom was frightened by his sudden appearance in a different century, on the other side of the globe at that. He had to.  
Probably. 

Tom was at least a bit unsettled.  
Maybe. 

Steve had been in his shoes, so he would help either way.

Internet, Smartphones, and other big or obvious changes aside, it was almost cathartic to explain the little things that no one had bothered to tell Steve when he woke up. Like to _not_ tuck in his shirt. Or lay his hair too neatly to the side. That rationing wasn’t necessary; he could eat what he wanted and how much he wanted _when_ he wanted. But he shouldn’t lend a helping hand to a dame unasked. 

Although, honestly, the incredulously quirked eyebrow Steve received for that little tidbit spoke volumes about what Tom thought of helping others unprompted.

Then again, the tiny amount of personal information Tom had let slipped - deliberately as well as unintentional - in their time together painted an all too familiar picture. 

Tom was probably an orphan. He hadn’t once asked to search for someone he knew and he kept a _very_ close eye on everything he considered his. Surprisingly, _Steve_ seemed to have made the list if the scathing, almost brutal, dressing down Tom had given some fangirls that had hug-attacked Steve the other day out of the blue was any indication.  
If Tom was even half as lethal with any weapon as he was with his words, he might even be able to give Natasha a run for her money. Steve would never voice his thoughts though. He was durable, not immortal.

Also, after Steve had managed to talk Tom into the resemblance of a healthy sleep and eating schedule and the stress-lines on Tom’s face, the tenseness of his shoulders, lessened, Steve noticed that while Tom refused to say more about his age than claiming to be legal, he couldn’t be older than twenty. A twenty-year-old living in London. During the Blitz. 

Poor guy. 

At least it explained the disdain, Tom never entirely managed to hide when he observed people going on with their lives, undisturbed and unaware. Even the occasional alien attacks couldn’t be compared with nightly bombings, with starvation over a prolonged time. With fearing every single cough because it could be the sign of a slow and painful death when one wasn’t able to obtain the needed medicine. 

Somewhere along the line - the circumstances of Tom's appearance still a mystery with Tom being tight-lipped, Thor and Loki still not reachable - Steve noticed other things about Tom. 

Unimportant for S.H.I.E.L.D. but priceless for Steve.

The curl that Tom had neatly lying on his forehead at the beginning of their acquaintance wasn’t natural, he used to style it this way. Because its natural state was untameable up in the air. It was adorable and sadly just visible in the early mornings before Tom had himself readied for the day - before he worked some magic in the bathroom and bullied it into submission.

Tom’s humour was beyond dry. It was beyond dark. To be honest, Steve wasn’t entirely sure if Tom was joking at all when he uttered various threats of violent murder through the day but he liked to think his time with spies and assassins had made him more durable for this special brand of _humour_ so Steve just rolled with it. He _did_ advertise Tom though, to keep his muttering down around Fury. The man didn’t tolerate humour. Or threats. 

Tom preferred coffee over tea. He liked simple black coffee but he _loved_ his simple black coffee poisoned with an unholy amount of blueberry syrup. When Steve found out, Tom somehow managed to threaten him into a vow of silence with nothing but a teaspoon and an embarrassed blush dusting his cheeks.

After this particular incident, Steve realised Tom was- _handsome_ .  
Of course, Steve had idly noticed it before, it was hard not to. But recently, Steve caught himself more often than not doodling Tom when he sat down to sketch mindlessly. He had accumulated an embarrassing amount of sketches featuring Tom. 

His aristocratic profile, his slender hands. The surprisingly delicate line of his neck. Tom half asleep in the morning staring into his coffee. Tom napping on the couch with a book on his face. Tom looking arrogant down his straight nose. Tom biting his lip with a smouldering gaze and half-opened button-down shirt and- _holy s- what? When the hell did he draw this?_

Steve slammed his sketchbook shut, face aflame, and checked over his shoulder for Tom. The other man had the tendency to appear randomly and without a sound at Steve’s back but was still rummaging through their kitchen - it was his turn to cook tonight. 

He allowed himself a relieved sigh before he buried his still burning face into his hands. Natasha would die laughing when she found out. And she would. Suddenly it made so much sense that she had mentioned Tom _a lot_ recently. He had assumed it was on Fury’s behalf but- 

Probably not. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom gets a pet-snake  
> Thor has lost his brother while on a stroll  
> ... coincidence?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my beta [Sage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeuroWriter14/pseuds/NeuroWriter14) <3
> 
> It wasn't planned but well, here we are.  
> More cracky than the last one but I couldn't _not_ write it xD

Steve wasn’t sure what to make of the newest addition to their household. Of course, he wanted Tom to feel comfortable and it _had_ been his idea for Tom to look for a pet but-

A snake?

Steve had envisioned a dog so Tom had more reason to go outside, maybe make a friend or two in the park - never mind how picky Tom was with the people he even bothered to acknowledge the mere existence of - or a fluffy little kitten he could cuddle on the couch. 

He hadn’t thought of a snake that would stare him down with unblinking eyes as if he was prey, that dared him to close his eyes and surrender to his untimely demise. 

...Yeah ok, on second thought, he should have seen it coming. The snake was more like Tom than something cute and cuddly.

It even fitted his appearance. The way the snake - Nagini, as Tom had named it - was casually arranged around his shoulders and his upper body let him look even more regal than usual. It itched in Steve’s fingers to draw him like this, he wasn't able to take his eyes off Tom. 

Luckily Tom was entirely absorbed into his book, some technically related compendium again, that would help bring him up to Tony’s level or something along the line. While Tom’s eyes remained focused on the book - and Nagini’s remained on Steve who in turn continued to admire Tom - his lips twitched occasionally when the snake let out a hiss. It made him even more handsome, dammit. 

Steve was fucked. He needed to get his graceless staring under control before Tom caught him out on it. He would need to give Tom more than just a few months to acclimate himself to the new century before he would feel even remotely safe to ask for Tom’s thoughts on same-sex relationships. 

Thank god for smartphones. The Avengers were yet again a saving grace and Steve was called in for an emergency before he could bring himself in more trouble than he already was. 

  
  
  


“What do you mean, you’ve lost your brother?!”

Thor, finally back on Earth but apparently still not responding to Fury, looked sheepish between Tony - who was almost breaking his accusing finger on Thor's chest plate - and the rest of the assembled Avengers.

“Mother made a bracelet to trap him into his preferred non-humanoid form so we could go for a stroll. And I- well, I lost him.”

Clint, still not forgiving the mind control Loki had put him through, nearly blew a casket and was only held back by Natasha’s grounding touch on his shoulder. 

“A stroll. He was left in your care because you swore he would- You know what? I don’t even know why I’m surprised. Fuck it!”

Bruce watched Clint shrugging off Natasha to pace the room with wide strides and angry grumbling. “So, how did you lose him? Was it a planned escape?”

“No, nothing like that. I was just walking with him through your big patch of greens when a Seidr appeared. He rooted me into place, took Loki and cussed me out for improper care of a snake before he went on his way while gushing over the colour of Loki’s scales. My brother was always a very handsome snake.”

“A- a snake, you say?”

All eyes turned to Steve who had turned paler than should be possible for a super-soldier. 

  
  
  


Loki blinked lazily around. The man known as Steve, one of his brother’s human shield brothers as well as one of the ‘mightiest heroes’ Earth had to offer, was gone for some time now, leaving Loki and the Seidr alone. 

Now was as good as any time to put his silver tongue to use. 

_~Where is your pet-human?~_

“I think he’s out playing with his friends.”

The dismissal was clear. The Seidr didn’t hold the other heroes in high regard. Loki could relate - they were rather dull, weren’t they? It was astounding that he suffered through the prolonged company of one of them. 

Then again, Loki enjoyed worship like any god. Why shouldn’t the Seidr indulge in the same joys? Of course, he was no god. But he was _more_ than a mere human so a little worship shouldn’t be out of place. 

As far as Loki could tell - and he had always been exceptionally good at reading people no matter which realm they originated from - the little human would love to worship the Seidr on a more _personal_ level. And while not as obvious, the Seidr didn’t seem to be averse. 

The only reason why he hadn’t indulged already was probably because he enjoyed playing with his prey too much. It only let him rise in Loki’s regards.

_~So- you could reverse the magic trapping me in this form now?~_

“I could do it even with Steve around.” 

It wasn’t so much the words that put Loki into a moment of incredulous silence, but the bored tone they were spoken in. 

“I prefer you in this form. In my experience, a snake always makes for the best conversationalists and I already have a ‘pet-human’ as you have put it so nicely.”

Well, put like this... 

_~Fair. Be a dear, though, and place another heating charm around me, would you?~_

The Seidr hummed in agreement and Loki felt the magical warmth rushing through his body. Thor really had been his usual stupid self by dragging Loki’s cold-blooded body through the chilled winter air. 

As long as the Seidr provided warmth and intelligent conversation, Loki didn’t mind staying as he was for the time being. The Seidr could understand the serpent tongue, and Loki had always been fond of those that were able to honour his favourite form in such a way. It was better than Asgardian prison and Loki was immortal, he had time to spare.

And it would be entertaining to watch the Seidr hunting down his prey that thought himself to be the predator.

**Author's Note:**

> I have [tumblr](https://ellionne.tumblr.com/) now. Feel free to check it out and talk to me or something. :D


End file.
